The preliminary-card bout streamed on Facebook prior to additional prelims on FX and the pay-per-view main card.

After half a minute of feeling out each other, the two quickly mixed it up. Neither fighter landed much until the 36-year-old Brown took control of the first round with a pair of big takedowns while pinning Pineda against the cage on each occasion.

Pineda came out in the second stanza swinging and landed a couple of power shots to the crowd’s delight. But Brown neutralized the Texan on the ground briefly, though it seemed the younger Pineda would try to outpace him during the second five minutes. Instead Brown again pinned Pineda against the cage and landed a barrage of big right hands and body blows that hurt Pineda.

Pineda’s only viable chance at victory was a submission or knockout, and even though he took Brown’s back with two minutes left in the fight, he could never complete the needed rear-naked choke.

All three judges scored the bout 29-28 in Brown’s favor.

“I feel good,” Brown said. “The job is done. There was nothing fancy out there, but it’s another paycheck and another [win].”

Brown (25-8 MMA, 2-3 UFC) has won two straight bouts after losing his first two UFC fights. Meanwhile, Pineda (17-7 MMA, 2-1 UFC), a former titleholder in the Texas-based Legacy Fighting Championship, falls for the first time under the Zuffa banner.

As the UFC 189 tour made its last stop in Dublin, featherweight champ Jose Aldo was met with a torrent of abuse from the Irish fans. It might have been unpleasant, but it might also have been just what he needed.